“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it’s not open.”  I’ve heard the words before, yet I was surprised when I discovered the author to be  rock legend and innovator, Frank Zappa.  Certainly, being an inventor or cultural maverick requires open-mindedness and risk-taking. It is also a quality that leads to pleasant surprises. Recall an incident in your life where you consciously kept an open mind, where you did not pre-judge. Maybe you developed a relationship with someone with whom you didn’t feel you had a lot in common or gave a restaurant a second chance after not being won over by your first meal there. What might you have been grateful for in the experience?